Audio Limitations

What is the key progressive change in
these objects?
Learning Objectives

Understand the key audio limitations of
game platforms
Game Platforms
Video game platforms fall under several broad
categories,
follows. refers to the specific combination
“The
term as
‘platform’
of electronic components or computer hardware which,

– Windows,with
Mac,software,
Linux allows a video game to
inPC
conjunction
 Home Console – Xbox
One, PS4, Wii U
operate.”
Handheld Console – PS Vita, 3DS
 Mobile – Android, iOS, Blackberry

Limitations
Storage
Audio quality (among other things) can be limited by the amount of
storage available for the game.



Xbox 360 games are stored on DVDs – these have a memory capacity
of 4.7GB which must store the entire game.
PS3 games are stored on Blu-Ray discs, which have a memory
capacity of 25 or 50GB, allowing for much higher quality assets to be
stored.
PC games are usually installed directly to a hard drive, which
commonly range up to 2TB.
Limitations
Output
Audio quality is seriously limited by the output device.


Fallout 3 is a game capable of outputting 7.1 surround sound,
but this will obviously only be available for 7.1 setups.
5.1 setups (or even stereo) will have drastically reduced audio
quality, through no fault of the game’s developers.
Limitations
Limitations
Sound Processing Unit (SPU)
An SPU is the device responsible for converting a digital audio
file to an analogue signal.




Some SPUs are integrated (consoles, phones etc)
PCs have a range of SPUs available to them
Low end SPUs are capable of stereo output and usually some
form of input
Higher end SPUs are often capable of 5.1 or even 7.1 surround
sound, along with input.
Summary
Audio quality is limited by a range of issues,
based on the game platform.
These include, but are not limited to:
 Storage capacity
 Sound output device and available hardware
 SPU / sound card
 RAM
 Sample rate
Grading Criteria
Unit 73: Sound for Computer Games
P2 | M2 | D2
Pass
Merit
Distinction
describe methods and
principles of sound
design and production
using some subject
terminology
appropriately
explain methods and
principles of sound
design and production
with reference to
detailed illustrative
examples and with
generally correct use of
subject terminology
comprehensively
explain methods and
principles of sound
design and production
with elucidated
examples and
consistently using
subject terminology
correctly